A young dog breeder in eastern China was recently arrested and sentenced to ten days in a detention center after giving two of his canines controversial names that refer to Chinese government and civil service workers.
The 30-year-old man, surnamed Ban, was summoned by police on Monday, after posting on Chinese social network WeChat that he had named two of his dogs Chengguan and Xieguan. The first refers to officials tasked with tackling low-level crime, while the second is a name used to describe informal community workers, such as traffic assistants. Ban said that he didn’t know using the two words as names for his dogs was illegal and that he had done it as a joke, but police failed to see the humor and launched an investigation after the man’s post went viral online.
A police officer told Beijing News that the dog breeder had been increasingly provocative on social media and that his latest stunt had “caused great harm to the nation and the city’s urban management, in terms of their feelings”.
“I didn’t know the law, I didn’t know this was illegal,” Ban explained, but it was all in vain. He was sentenced to 10 days in an administrative detention center in the city of Xiangyang for having spread “insulting information… against law enforcement personnel”.
News of the man’s arrest sent shocks across the internet, and while some argued that he had been “asking for it” with his provocative comments, most social media users expressed their outrage over the cause of the conviction.
“Can you tell me which law stipulates that dogs can’t be called Chengguan?” one Weibo user commented.
“What other words could you be imprisoned for?” someone else asked.
Latest Stories
-
We may all resort to vote buying if electorates prioritise such over development – Asiedu Nketiah
13 mins -
NDF engages mineral extraction communities in advocacy and litigation resolution
18 mins -
Adabraka in community A/R unites to combat electoral violence
25 mins -
Forestry Commission cracks down on endangered bush meat trade
26 mins -
Global GDP could plunge by 24% by 2,100 without urgent climate action
27 mins -
High Court dismisses lecturer’s bid to block Deputy IGP’s appointment
35 mins -
MTN records 35.5% growth in profit to GH¢3.76bn in quarter 3, 2024
58 mins -
Deloitte to hold training on navigating customs and excise duty Obligations
1 hour -
Akufo-Addo, Bawumia should have prioritised National Peace Campaign launch – Mahama
1 hour -
AGI works to clamp down on substandard foreign mattresses penetrating Ghanaian markets
1 hour -
Immigration Service intercepts 54 gallons of fuel
1 hour -
Ace Medical Insurance makes its mark at Ghana Club 100 Awards
1 hour -
Dafeamekpor takes Speaker to High Court to affirm vacant seats ruling
1 hour -
Government is not funding GMX music streaming platform – Director of Marketing
1 hour -
Energy sector not advancing enough – ACEP
1 hour